A 57-year-old grandmother suffered a terrifying death on Tuesday, August 27, 2024, when she was attacked by a large python in a rubber plantation in Indonesia. This incident occurred in the Muaro Jambi province of Sumatra and has left the local community deeply disturbed, underlining the potential dangers of encountering these powerful snakes.
The victim, known as Hapsah, was tending to rubber trees on August 27 when she was assaulted by a 16-foot reticulated python. Despite her efforts to fend off the snake, known for its incredible strength, the python overcame her. The snake then coiled around her, gradually suffocating her until she lost consciousness.
Hapsah’s husband, 66-year-old M Safri, who was also working on the plantation that day, started looking for her when she failed to return home in the afternoon. His search led him to a chilling sight – his wife’s body with the python still coiled around her neck, trying to ingest her head first.
As reported by Sungai Gelam Police Chief Iptu Usaha Sitepu, M Safri attempted to rescue his wife from the python. He pulled at the snake’s tail and struck it repeatedly until it finally let go of its grip.
Sadly, Hapsah had already succumbed to the python’s lethal grip by the time her husband found her. A distressed Safri, with assistance from local residents, brought Hapsah’s body back to their village for burial preparations.
The news of the attack quickly spread throughout the community, leading to fear and anger among the locals. A group of residents, driven by rage, hunted down the python responsible for Hapsah’s death. They located the snake as it tried to burrow near a tree’s roots and killed it.
Village leader Amdi noted the extraordinary size of the python. He stated that the snake was brought to the village after it was killed to display its massive size to the community.
Sadly, such incidents are not uncommon in Indonesia. Just a few days before Hapsah’s fatal encounter, another elderly woman was attacked by a python in a different part of the country. Maga, a 74-year-old grandmother from Palopo City, was killed by a python while herding her cows in the forested Sumarambu mountains. In a horrifying turn of events, Maga’s son discovered only the remaining half of his mother’s body after the snake had eaten the other half.
The reticulated python, indigenous to Southeast Asia, is the longest snake in the world and the third heaviest. These formidable constrictors can grow beyond 20 feet and are known for their strong bodies that can overpower large prey. While attacks on humans are relatively rare, they do happen, particularly in regions where human settlements infringe on the pythons’ natural habitats.
These snakes are versatile predators, often found in forests, swamps, and canals. In some instances, they have been known to venture into urban areas, posing a potential threat to pets and occasionally, humans. Their diet usually includes smaller animals such as rats, birds, and other snakes, but larger pythons can capture bigger prey like deer and crocodiles.